Possibilities of remote monitoring to manage skin toxicity in oncology patients

Purpose . Analysis of the effectiveness of remote monitoring in the management of skin toxicity in oncology patients. Materials and methods . A comparative study of 2 cohorts of oncology patients with skin toxicity receiving supportive care through remote monitoring using the PSP “Healthy Skin” and outpatient consultations. Nonparametric statistical methods were used with a significance level of p<0.05. Results . A comparative analysis of 150 patients divided into 2 equal groups showed the effectiveness of using the remote monitoring (group 1) in the form of a reliable decrease in median BSA (%) by 67 %, 5D itching scale by 65 %, DLQI by 70 % compared to 10 %, 22 %, 20 % in group 2, respectively, over 4 weeks of the study. In group 2, deterioration of the skin condition was noted in 13.3 % of patients, 9 % of patients underwent a reduction in the dose of the anticancer therapy, 5 % had a break, while in group 1 such episodes were not noted due to the stability of the condition. Positive dynamics in the form of a decrease in the severity of skin toxicity was noted in 48 % of cases in group 1 and in 10 % of cases in group 2. An assessment of patient satisfaction with the use of the application (B 2C (business-to-consumer) analysis) revealed satisfaction in 91.4 % of respondents. Conclusion . The availability and effectiveness of the use of the PSP «Healthy Skin» will ensure timely supportive care, significantly reduce the severity of skin toxicity and improve the quality of life in oncology patients.